Whither Farm Policy?

Bruce A. Babcock
September 1999 [99-BP 25]

Under conditions that saw farm policy come under increasing criticism in the fall of 1999, this paper asks readers to take a closer look at what farm policy should accomplish. Babcock describes the various interest groups calling for farm policy reform, reviews three reasons for implementing farm policy, recounts the history and programs of the FAIR (Freedom to Farm) Act, and proposes policy alternatives that would allow for the agriculture industry to be flexible and competitive.